Bigger than you and me
by Austro-Hungarian Empire
Summary: Lt. Farsight's final thoughts in her fight with Sonny and Co at the ZPCI Stronghold in Chapter Seven the "Hornet's Nest".


**AN: I used dialogue from the actual game. Enjoy.**

"Progress report?" His voice coldly crackled through the ear piece.

"A massacre. That damn zombie and that traitor Kara are chewing through our troopers." I replied back, my eye aimed in on the scope to see the green Zed nail a ZPCI Sniper in the head, crumbling the poor soldier to the ground where he lay there, motionless.

"Damnit!" The Captain's voice cursed out through the ear pierce, "We need to speed this up. I can kill the damn Zed but those others are unknown variables we cannot afford."

He paused, as if debating within himself on the next orders he should give. "Eliminate all targets. Except Kara and Sonny, only if necessary, as I've previously instructed."

"Right." I reply, curtly, seeing the group approaching. I cast a glance over my shoulder, seeing the two female Medics idly playing with their hands and account for their medical supplies, clearly intimidated by the incoming threat.

"Positions!" I bark, hefting my rifle upward. The two Medics scrambled frantically, one going to my right side and the other going to my left. They both took into an alert stance, drawing their standard pistols and aiming them in the direction of the approaching intruders.

I would've much preferred Tridents or Pyrotech specialist; either one could be engage them up close whilst I struck from a far. But ranged combat would not be an option, for a zombie or no, Sonny earlier had seem desperately determined to close the gap with any ZPCI sniper even if he had to fight through Scouts or any other unit even if that meant taking damage.

I took whoever was on hand, these Medics were the last of the squad sent to report the disturbance in the first place. Why no one else was here I found to be baffling, honestly. An entire fortress of heavily armed and experienced zombie killers would be but all too ready and eager to fight an intelligent super zombie breaking into their sanctuary. I'd very well know that Galiant would have been here already if alerted.

I nod my head, sighing before the group finally comes into contact with me.

"The saddest thing about all this, Officer Karantha, my dear colleague..." I drew my voice out as to draw her attention first, "is that now, in hindsight, I can see why I have always been more successful than you." Nailed it.

Despite her expression being blocked by the scarf she wore, Kara's eye brows arched with the rest of her face composition suggesting she would be in some sort of distress, a telling time that my psychological sally had hit her. Kara shook her head.

"Nuh-uh. No way. We're not playing mind games. You won't win, big shot." Her voice was seething with a rage I knew she had harbored against me for being the favorite when it came to the ZPCI high command.

However, than it appears she struck back with a quip of her own, "I could tell everyone here about that night with Officer Aurox at ZPCI AGM."

Her exposed face rearrangement assured that her remark had strengthened her own emotional state against me and was only furthered by the man in the medical armor who exclaimed, "Ho-hoo! Yeah! Tell us!"

It was one General Annual Meeting. I was intoxicated (to get through the meeting I was not forced to speak at but was to attend in case anything pertinent showed up) and sexually aggravated. When both me and him disappeared, rumors were spread, evidence was complied and accusations flew. I might as well have been a criminal. Kara, being the bitch that she is, thought that this story was the perfect example to jump ahead of me in terms of 'who is the better person' in simplest terms and would always bring up that little mistake whenever I were to out show her. Pfft, what a flimsy counter which only got weaker.

"Ugh." I nearly guttered, rolling my eyes and raising my rifle into firing position. Deciding to change the subject to wipe the smiles off the faces of all the Zed's team members, I quite pointedly stated: "See, I knew it was a smart move to hold my bet."

I put my eye near my scope, glancing through it only see the smiling face of that zombie, Sonny, still chuckling at my expense, "Because now you're here. And the stakes are much higher."

Sonny's smile faded, going into an aggressive stance, his yellow, lightbulb-eques eyes narrowing at me as he seemed ready for the conflict.

I smirked, my finger inching in on the trigger, "And when I finally place it..." My finger reaches the trigger, "it'll be right..." I had screwed off the silencer on my rifle just so I could hear the bullet before it penetrated one of my targets "between..." The zombie first. Than that petty Kara...than the giant scrap can, the scientists and the staff wielder... "your eyes!" Squeeze.

 ** _BANG_**

The shot rang through the vast complex, echoing off. I gasp.

He _dodged_.

The zed dodged faster than the bullet could hit him, faster than I could register. He had merely moved his body to the right, completely out of the path of the bullet. I heard a nervous gulp from one of the medics standing right next to me.

Well shit. Looks like it's going to be the hard way.

Sonny charged forward, bashing my right medic in stomach with, what looked to be, a pipe. The left one began to fire upon Kara, who took cover behind a an adjacent metal bench. I turned to my right, aiming at the zed who was still beating the living hell out of the poor girl, before a shot whizzed past my head. My eyes narrowed at the medic on Sonny's team who was firing upon me, obviously to keep the pressure off Sonny. I swung my rifle over to aim at the enemy medic, scoping in quickly and firing. The wind had decided to pick up at that exact moment and made my shot sloopy resulting in the armor piercing bullet lodging into his stomach of the tin can. I heard a satisfying "Ooofmp" as he crumbled to the ground. To be fair, the shot was quickly done in an urgency to help my medic and was more to force the enemy medic to take cover rather than be a kill shot. Not a shot I'm proud of but it took the enemy medic out of the fight.

However, as I direct my attention back to the zed, he is already rushing me with alarming speed, pipe ready to connect with my skull to which I have just enough reaction within me to duck, rolling forward and twisting my upper body so that I am aimed back at him. I fire a shot without even scoping hoping to deterring Sonny from another charge, but the bullet wizzes right past his head and he spins around with lightning speed, once more blitzing me without the bullet making him bat an eye. He swings the pipe down on my head yet miraculously I block it with my rifle.

 _ **CLINK**_

My rifle clashes with his pipe which seems surprisingly sturdy for something so old and rusted. I push my body weight forward, allowing the rifle enough momentum to push the pipe back and send him sparling backward temporarily displacing him so I could jump forward onto my feet, turning on my heels and sprinting away.

I turn around, calling out in jest, "You all look a bit tired. A long journey? Perhaps you should relax and stay still."

I raise my rifle again, scoping in. Sonny seemed to still be standing at the spot where he was, seemingly still unsure of what angle to attack me from. My remaining medic was having a cover war with Kara at least twenty feet (six meters) behind him. Kara was most likely going to win, seeing as she had a decently ranged weapon, her and the medic were fighting at a distance of at least a few feet in between. I aimed at Sonny, aiming for his head once more.

"A clean shot will make it hurt less." I hiss before firing a shot right at Sonny. The bullet once more betrays me, however it does seem to lodge in his right shoulder. He winces but does not seem to effected by it as he charges forward once more. I fire again, this time it lands in his lower left abdomen. Despite being anti-armor (thick coated rounds) they seem to not have much effect except a twitch or millisecond stagger! Damn his zombie resilience for he continues to run, tackling me to the ground. In the transitioning from standing to ground, I drop my rifle but I am able to knock the pipe out of his hands but of course he resorts to his fists instead, pummeling my body relentlessly. I begin to ach at his relentless assault, feeling the pain ravage my body helplessly. As I feel myself fading, I hear gun shots ring out followed by a sort of splatter sound from nearby. I hear Sonny grunt from above me, rolling off me. My vision begins to refocus and fueled by adrenaline I am able to sit up just in time to see my last remaining teammate being shot in the hip and crumble to the ground.

The medic must've saved me by shooting Sonny but while focusing on shoot him she left herself open. Damnit. I swing my head downward, instantly regretting it as my vision becomes blurring for a second and I almost lose balance yet still managing to somehow bend over and pick up my rifle. As I straighten upward again, my gaze meets with Sonny who has his eye narrowed at me from behind rectangle of steel bench he is using for cover.

A bullet whizzes past my head. Kara is shooting at me. I once more turn on my heels and use the last of my energy to dash to the close cover which is thankfully not to far behind me.

I jump over a metal bench, quickly adjusting to the cold metal and leaning my back up against it. I breath out which come out in heavy breathes, moans and gasps as Sonny's beating is still not sitting well. My sniper body was not meant for this sort of intimidate combat.

"Farsight, come in." Vendara comes in from over the ear piece.

"Sir? Now is not a good time." I practically hiss out, examining that almost all of my exposed skin is covered with bruises.

"What the hell is going on out there, soldier?" Vendara questions, his authoritarian tone failing him as concern infects him.

"I underestimated them, sir. Plain truth." I replied, resigning my dignity to the abyss. For it was true, I did not pick the right strategies, I was not as careful as I should've been with my shots and I should have tried the distance fighting anyway. I suppose I had just been not in the field for a while and became to overconfident of my own abilities and biasing my view on the zed and Kara's skills. I screwed myself over.

"I won't make it if I keep at it." I added as casually as I could, half with resignation and half dread.

"Then back out, soldier." Verdara said, seemingly relieved by her honesty, "Send in some heavy artillery and get behind lines. Patch yourself up."

Time seem to slow in that moment. I felt my pain fade as my brain drifted elsewhere. To the battle, the nature of Sonny, the zombie plague, Zombie Pest Control Incorporated, the Praetor, Vendara, Klima and so many other things at once. I felt as though my brain had begun to freeze, the thoughts invading my mind becoming all consuming to the point of defying the laws of the universe. What plans was the Praetor executing? What super weapon was Sonny talking about? Were shooting civilians that were claimed to be infected _right_?

I had worked for the ZPCI for so long...I believe what I was doing right was for humanity. Many of the men and women in this organization were trying to protect all that humans had built. And yet...I've had this feeling in my gut for years. A nagging, arching deep emotion with no name or face, with the only close cousin available being uncertainty over certain dubious orders. 'Burn the forest to the ground.', 'Kill the civilians, they are dead anyway', 'We cannot go back for them, our team is a lost cause.'. Was this all _truly_ the righteousness which the organization stood for? Was there any justice in any of these actions? And damn Murdock...the Praetor. I have not even seen his face. How can I trust him? How could I trust anyone? The only one I could trust was Verdana and even he shuts up and follows orders.

"With respect sir...no."

The words just slipped out. I did not even debate saying them nor could I believe I had spoken them. I felt as though I had heard them from someone else.

"That's an ORDER, Farsight!" Verdara barked.

I felt it now. What I wanted to say, what I felt, finally acting upon the unknown feeling of which only today was realized: The unyielding uncertainty in all I have done. A guilty rushed onto me at once with all the orders I have unquestionable followed over the years but now I acted upon it, seizing it and anything connected to it. I felt both liberating and heart wrenching at once. I wish I had time to experience this however I had a commander to address.

"There is something big happening. This isn't the norm. Something bigger than you and me." I explained with as much feeling as I could out of my withered body which now seemed to come alive anew with the ever consuming sting of wounds sustained by Sonny's assault.

And I meant it. This zombie wasn't like the others, strong yes but also intelligent and social. Seemingly having purer intentions than merely consuming flesh or waging war. He has made a band of followers who, by their assorted appearances, are more than just warmongers and privateers. Something was so utterly differently about him that it brought on such a sensation of change and - dare I say - justice which the world had been needing of. And I had no right in to stand in the way. Kara may have been petty in my eyes but she had values. She refused to shoot the civilians and embarked with this zed, Sonny, perhaps knowing that he could help her fix this poison in the ZPCI. She herself...she could be a good leader. She could restore it. It only took till now to admit that she had more of a merit as a "better person" than I did. Admit this was more of a relief than I could describe, even past all of I've admitted so far.

"Oh for crying out..." Verdara began, his irritation and panic clearly forming into one, "You idiot. Draw back." His voice was so hesitant. He did not want to insult me, I could tell but he thought that he might snap me out of whatever delirium I had clearly been suffering from my wounds. Yet there was no such thing. I consciously identified that it was time I had answered for all I had done. I had thought that perhaps if I had put down my weapon and surrendered I could switch to the proper side, however my sins which I have accepted bare down too much on me now. I must embrace death while it is at it's most whimsical and I have no fear in facing it.

"I have to do this. I know I am meant to do this." I sharply say, going to turn off the earpiece.

"Farsight!" He gasps, the horror in his voice so clear and open it could bring me to tears. He was a good man and unlike me he deserves a second chance.

I switch it off. I stand up from behind my cover. I level my rifle and scoped in. I came in line on Sonny who was glaring at me. I aimed for his left shoulder however the bullet seemed to strike his left forearm.

 ** _PFF!_**

I stopped breathing for a second. In that moment I thought I had died standing. However, I had looked down to reveal a bullet had shattered my collar bone and gone out the other end.

My rifle fell to the ground with a thud and I went with it. I heard the quick approaching foot steps of several pairs of feet and within the five seconds it had taken me to connect with the ground I had been surrounded by Sonny's and his friends.

I gasped, the very essence of my being escaping through my agape mouth. I was facing death with a particular peace that I suppose only the elderly or most mentally stained could ever have the pleasure of achieving. I smiled, blooding trickling out of my mouth as I held back from coughing or gagging.

"Karantha..." I choked out, knowing these would be my dying words, "You can restore this...I know now..."

My vision began glazing over. My mouth ceased it's function as so did my body. My time on this earth was over. I could only hope the best for Verdana and as for Sonny, Kara could restore the ZPCI and lead it on a more honest path...

I can only hope, with no doubt in the entire world, that he'll do what is right for us all.

 **I had the sudden urge to write this one night after watching a play through of the Sonny reboot. As a long time Sonny fan, I would say that Karin did a bang up job however it does feel bitter sweet. While this version comes with an ending I have so many mixed feelings on the rewriting of the story. I wanted to see the original be answered with so many characters coming back. But I wouldn't be remised if I did not say I am glad she is still making games but still hope for a Sonny 3 in the future.**


End file.
